Friday, August 29, 2008

Salt

Salt is probably something we really don't think too much about and when we do, it's usually because there's been some study or another "proving" that it's bad for us which will in turn, be gazumped by another "proving" that it's good for us.

But really we should be thinking about it - when used correctly it can bring out the true flavour of ingredients.

Salt shouldn't be consigned to be that white granular substance we buy in bulk - salt comes in many forms, each with their own unique characteristics. As a example of this, I thought I'd look at three interesting salts.

At the top is a French classic

Fleur de Sel de Guérande - hand collected in the salt marches of Guérande, this is naturally white and is not washed or crushed.

It is best used as a finishing salt - sprinkled at the end of cooking, over salads or added at the table. If making salted caramel then this would be the salt of choice.

The next salt is a local product - Murray River Salt Flakes

Its distinctive colouring, a pale pink-peach, is due to carotene which is released by river algae. This product has an extra benefit in that it helps in the fight against the growing salinity of the Murray river basin. Just like Fleur de Sel, this is an excellent finishing salt. As the flakes are quick to dissolve they can also be used when baking and roasting.

The final salt comes from Cyprus - natural Volcanic Sea Salt Flakes

This salt sourced from the Mediterranean Sea is sun-dried in large pyramids and then mixed with activated charcoal. The crystals are quite delicate in nature and are also best used as a finishing salt.

23 comments

there's a little town called grand saline in texas where the morton salt company harvests that bulk white salt. the salt miners say that underneath the city is a huge cavern of salt, the size of many stadiums put together and the walls are sparkling white.

it may not taste as good as the other stuff, but it's a cool story anyway.

your photos are beautiful. I have never heard that about the murray river salt but seems a good reason to buy it - I read somewhere about someone going to the 100 mile restaurant in Melbourne and having Geelong salt which sounded v odd!

Oh Haalo, guess what? I've had a post on salt in my draft in-box since January and never finished it! We are never without the Murray river salt flakes at our place. we've even given boxes of it away to friends because they try it first at our place and it was love at first bite.

We did a salt tasting with bloggers here in London which proved to be extremely instructive (and totally blew the "salt is salt" proposition out of the water!) Wish you could have joined us:http://cooksister.typepad.com/cook_sister/2006/11/london_food_blo.html

I love the colour of that last salt. (Great photo, by the way!) Can't say I can taste anything particularly different about it, but it's great for presentation purposes. Also love using the Murray River salt and the French one.

I have so many different salts in my cupboard. My 2 favorites are the Australian pink flake and a spiced sea salt blend with badiane (no idea what this is), coriander, orange and lemon than is perfect on salmon. I have never heard of black salt. Guess what my new search is?

Hi HaaloI bought some black salt in Spain recently - beautiful stuff - just doesn't look so great on mashed potatoes :-(I also bought back some fleur de sel from France (I know - weird souvenirs)but can't find it in Australia. Do you know anyone who imports it into Australia?r0bin